Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

present had had the privilege and pleasure that he had , at Peter , borough , of seeing Lord Carnarvon perform the ceremony on behalf of the Prince of Wales , he was sure they would say his Lordship was au ornament to Freemasonry . There was a scene , however , far superior , at the meeting at tho Girls' School on Monday last , when they saw the results of Freemasonry in tho glorious and beautiful assemblage

of children , and heard frani the lips of the Baroness Burdett-Coutts words of such eloquence and wisdom as he ventured to say had seldom been heard in any Masonio assembly . Bro . Fennimore , District Grand Master of Natal , in proposing the health of the Chairman said , although he had been but a short time in England , he had seen sufficient to know that this toast was well worthy of tho

brethren's favourable reception . From what his Lordship had said , he could see that a melancholy interest attached to his installation as Prov . Grand Master for Essex . The death of His Royal Highness the late Duke of Albany was deeply deplored by all , and ono of tho last injunctions impressed npon him , before leaving Natal , was to convey the heartiest expressions of the regret and sympathy of tho

Natal Masons to the brethren here . He wished to say how much he appreciated tho kind sympathy he had received from the brethren , and how pleased he was to see so distinguished a gathering that evening . He would like to say many other things , but time was short , and while thanking them very much for their reception , he would propose the health of the Chairman , Lord Brooke .

The Chairman , after expressing thanks for the cordial reception given him , thanked the brethren of Essex and his Deputy , Bro . Philbrick , for the manner in which they had supported him . This was only one of the many acts of kind feeling and friendshi p which they wore always ready to shew him . He felt the result of the evening would be a grand pecuniary success , and it would be

greatly due to the efforts of the brethren of his Province . The Chairman next proposed the toast of the evening , Success to the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . This was the object uppermost in the minds of the brethren . They had , he trusted , in various ways been striving to do to the best of their ability all they could to promote the success of the Institution of which ho was speaking . It had

usually been the custom for those who were about to take the chair to attend the meeting previously held for the purpose of giving away the prizes to the girls ; but another engagement prevented him doing so . The thanks of the brethren were , however , due to the excellent lady the Baroness Burdett-Coutts , who on Monday went to Battersea Rise and distributed the prizes to the girls who had won

them . It was only one of the acts of kindness which that eminent lady had performed during her exceedingly able career , a career which had been of so much benefit , not only to the City of London , but to the whole conntry . If ho might be allowed , without troubling the brethren too much , he would read an extract from a letter which the Baroness had written to Bro . Hedges , the Secretary , in

which she said : " I am glad to have again an opportunity of thanking the Committee for the personal pleasure of Monday , which will not be effaced readily from my memory . I saw the signs of a very important and useful national work which yoa are carrying out at the Masonic Girls' School . " These sentiments of the Baroness , so admirably expressed , he was snre were shared in by every ono present .

They had most of them probably attended there on a similar occasion , and he would not detain them at great length in describing the various merits of the Iastitution ; bnt he would like , first of all , to recall their memory to the fact that the Institution was founded in 1788 , and that dnring the course of the School since its establishment 1350 girls had been educated , maintained , and clothed within it , from the

age of 8 to the age of 16 . They received a sound English education , and were most worthily and excellently prepared for the various duties which might fall to their lot in future life . Although he thought it was right they should be brought up to the refinements of education , still , for the position of those girls who attended the School , he thought it necessary they should be fitted so far as

possible for the life which was before them . If they would allow him to say so , he thought there was further testimony to the excellence of the School in the fact that 15 girls went up to the University examination and all passed successfully , nine with honours . There was also another important fact that the teachers of the School were every one of them , with the exception of the head mistress , girls

who had been educated in the Institution . It appeared to him to be a most excellent practice , because having been there a great portion of their lives they must know , naturally better than any other person , what the requirements of the Institution were , and would be able to impress on those who went there the great advantages which they themselves had obtained . Most heartily he

wished prosperity to the School , a prosperity which he thought was assured from the fact that at this moment there were 239 girls enjoying the benefits of the Institution . He was aware that the cause of the Institution had been advocated by many much more able men than he . The brethren had seen in that chair illustrious men ; men who bad made their mark in the conntry , as well as members of the

Royal Family . He therefore felt that it was an honour to preside , and he could only trust most heartily that this occasion might be one of pecuniary success to the School , and that when the Secretary announced the figures they might be proud of what had been done . He thought the brethren would like to know that the next Festival of the Boys' School would be presided

over by the Lord Mayor , a most popular Mason , who , notwithstanding his many engagements , had been able to find time to take the chair at the School Festival , which was fixed for the 28 th June . For himself he wished the Boys' Institution every success on that occasion . He pointed to this to show what Freemasonry could do . When they were asked by the uninitiated what was tho use of

Freemasonry , he thought they might point to tho manner in which its great Institutions had been so admirably sustained for many years . Col . Creaton , Past Grand Treasurer , " and Treasnrer of tho institution , responded , and thanked Lord Brooke for taking the chair that evening . Bro . Hedges , the Secretary , then read the list of subscri ptions , which we give elsewhere . The Chairman next pro-

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

posed tho Sister Institutions , and said ho could not bnt thank the Stewards , and , first of all , those of his own Province—which was not a rich one—for tho very kind , hearty , and cordial manner in which they had worked to support him that day . It must be gratifying to tho Stewards who pnt their shoulders to tho wheel to bring up £ 13 , 000 . Every one know the times were bad ; but ho

sincerely trusted they would bo better for every one . It was a fino thing to feel that the great Charitable Institutions , even if there was distress or not in tho country , were most thoroughly supported . He felt sure these efforts of benevolence would have their reward in renewed prosperity . Brother Binckes replied , and strongly appealed for support on tho occasion of his Festival . There were several other

toasts honoured , and then the brethren joined the ladies in the Temple , where an excellent concert was gWeu , under the direction of Madame MathildeZimeri , the artistes being Miss Marian McKenzie , Mr . Hirwen Jones , Brother Gilbert Campbell , Mr . Charles Obetthur ( Harp ) , Miss Maria Norton ( Pianoforte ) , with Bro . Wilholm Ganz P . G . O . at tho pianoforte . Bro . James Hay ho was tho Toastmastor of tho evening .

Reviews.

REVIEWS .

All Books intended for Beview should be addressed to the Sditor of The Freemason ' s Chronicle , Belvidere "Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville , London , N . — : o : —• Official Directory for the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cornwall .

Thirteenth year of publication . Edited by William James Hughan , Past Senior Grand Deacon of England , P . Prov . G . Secretary of Cornwall , & c , & c . With an Appendix , containing Annals of the Cornish Craft by the Editor . Royal Cornwall Gazette , Truro , 1881 .

The Freemasons' Calendar and Directory for the Province of Oxfordshire and Neighbourhood , 1881-5 . Edited and published by Bro . W . R . Bowden , P . P . G . Org . Oxon , & c , P . P . G . Org . Mark Master Masons Berks and Oxon . THESE are welcome additions to our collection of Provincial G . Lod ^ e

Calendars , and as both are old friends we need not devote too much space to a repetition of our praises , tho merits which have evoked these praises in respect of former years being quite as . conspicuous as ever . That of Cornwall , which is the elder , and consequently the better-known of the two , is by the veteran Hnghan , who has

furnished a most useful and interesting sketch in the form of a chronology of Freemasonry , what he calls "Annals of the Cornish Craft . " In these Annals our worthy brother has noted tho leading events connected with the Lodges , Chapters , and brethren of tho Province . There is also a list of the Provincial G . Officers still living , and much

valued information respecting the great central Charities and other matters of general or local importance . The Oxfordshire Calendar has been most carefully compiled by Bro . Bowden on tho same lines as in previous years , and is as remarkable for the quantity of information vouchsafed as for the admirable method with which

it has been arranged , and the accuracy of the details . Every one seeing Bro . Bowden ' s Calendar will be reminded of the great loss sustained by tho death of H . R . H . the Duke of Albany , whose name

figures in these pages as chief of the Province , the publication having been issued when the illustrious Prince was still among us . We congratulate both brothers on the quality and appearance of their respective Calendars .

Early History of St . Johns Lodge , F . and A . M ., Philadelphia , 1731 to 1738 , the earliest Lodge in America . By Clifford P . MacCalla . THE contents of this little work have already been published in tho FKEE 3 IA . SON ' S CHRONICLE , and it is only necessary we should congratulate Bro . MacCalla on this further evidence of the remarkable success

which has attended his efforts to unravel the history of the Craft in the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania , but especially in its capital , the City of Brotherly Love . Few Masons have laboured as devotedly as Bro . MacCalla and , what must be still more gratifying to him personally , it has been the lot of few to have had their labours crowned with so signal a degree of success .

Le Monde Masonnique . April 1844 . THIS is an exceptionally good number , containing , as it does , in addition to the concluding portion of the article entitled " La Morale , " a long and interesting letter from Corfu , the usual sketch of Masonry for the previous month , and other contributions of merit .

Tho Kneph . May 1884 . THE important feature of this number is the first portion of Chapter I . of "Records and Documents relating to Freemasonry as a Speculative Society , " by Bro . John Yarker , the subject dealt with being the " Ancient Craft Constitutions . "

Obituary.

Obituary .

It is with deep regret we have to announce the death of Bro . I . Benjamin I . P . M . Joppa Lodge , No . 188 . Bro . Benjamin was cut off in the prime of life , after a short

illness of less than a week . He was highly respected , and will be deeply regretted by his sorrowing family , and the members of the Joppa Lodge . The funeral took p ' ace at the West Ham Cemetery , on Monday last .